Multiple rotary switch



May 21, 1957 G. ENGELAGE 2,793,258

MULTIPLE ROTARY SWITCH v I Filed July 50, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1957 G- ENGELAGE 2,793,258

MULTIPLE ROTARY SWITCH Filed July so, 1952. 2 Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR GUNTER ENGELAGE ATTORNEY United States Patent MULTIPLE RGTARY SWITCH Gunter Engelage, Langel, near Koln, Germany Application July 30, 1952, Serial No. 301,725

1 Claim. (Cl. 200-6) The present invention relates to an improved multiple rotary switch.

Multiple rotary switches are known which consist of a switch shaft which, on rotation in either direction, actuates simultaneously or successively a plurality of contacts contained in a housing.

The invention has for its object to provide a switch which, While taking up little space, is adapted to switch on currents up to 6 amperes per contact and, with at least three contacts and at least four switching positions, provides the possibility of a very large number of switching operations taking place simultaneously or successively.

According to the invention this is done by arranging the switching shaft to carry a plurality of cam discs which actuate the contacts and which are removably mounted on the shaft so that they may be given any one of a plurality of predetermined angular positions with respect to the shaft, the contacts actuated by the cam discs being fixed to carrier members secured in the housing.

It has been found effective according to the invention to make the contact carriers of two flat insulating members lying parallel to each other.

The orientability of the cam discs may be achieved by making the cross-section of the central holes of the cam discs correspond to that of the switch shaft, and the cross-section of the switch shaft and the central holes of the cam discs mounted on it may advantageously be polygonal and especially square.

The cross-section of the housing of the rotary switch is preferably circular.

The contacts may consist of contact springs co-operating with fixed counter-contacts. The contact springs and the counter-contacts may end in soldering tags which pass outwardly through the housing.

One form of switch according to our invention giving four switching positions is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an end elevational view of the switch with the cover removed, and

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the switch.

The switch shown in the drawing comprises a housing 1 in which there are fastened by means of the hollow rivets 3 to the two contact carriers 2 the contact springs 5 carrying the silver contacts 4. The fixed ends of the springs extend outwardly of the casing to form the soldering lugs 6. The counter-contacts 7 are also riveted to the contact carriers 2 together with the soldering lugs 8.

The cover 9 is screwed to the housing 1 by means of the fixing holes 10. Two switching earns 11 and one switching cam 12 are rotated by the switching shaft 14 by the action of the notch springs 13. The switching cams 11 and l2 can be oriented with respect to the shaft by means of their square centre holes 15, the switching shaft 14 within the axial extent of the cams being also of square section. The exact positioning of the switching shaft 14 is eifected by the insulating disc 16 and the two guide discs 17. The switch is fixedly screwed to the device to be switched by means of the nuts 18 pressed into the front face of the housing 1.

In the switch above described two spring contacts are riveted to one contact carrier and only one spring contact to the second contact carrier. The contact carriers are, however, punched in advance in such a way that each of them can, in case of need, take three spring contacts. Furthermore each cam disc can form several cams of any design instead of the one cam illustrated.

A multiple rotary switch according to the invention has many uses, especially for the central control of several circuits connected with each other or independent of each other, as is the case for example in operating film projectors, in automatic electric apparatus and in toy railways.

I claim:

A multiple rotary switch, comprising a cylindrical casing closed at one end and open at the other end, a cover closing the open end of said casing, said cover and said closed casing end having aligned center holes, a shaft mounted in said aligned holes rotatable in both directions, a plurality of cam disks removably mounted and angularly adjustable on said shaft, a pair of fiat plates of insulating material within said casing and arranged in parallel relationship, said casing being formed with openings opposite one another for holding end portions of said insulating plates inserted therebetween, means on said cover for mounting said insulating plates, a plurality of fixed contacts on said insulating plates, means operable by said cam disks for engaging said fixed contacts, said last means being mounted on said insulating plates and comprising spring arms having contacts movable into engagement with said fixed contacts, said arms and said fixed contacts terminating in soldering lugs projecting outwardly through said openings of said casing, said shaft being of square cross section at a portion of its length inside said casing, said casing having a radial notch intersecting the center thereof, and a pair of leaf springs in said notch engaging respectively opposite sides of the square portion of said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,120,424 Forstrom June 14, 1938 2,202,698 Latta May 28, 1940 2,319,503 Glogau May 18, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 778,379 France W Dec. 22, 1934 452,753 Great Britain Aug. 28, 1936 691,185 Germany May 18, 1940 948,454 France Jan. 31, 1949 

